And what were they???....And if you changed your call sign, why?.(because of a move to another district when it was manadatory, etc..)..and If you are like me and kept your original call sign and did not change, why?....I have held only one call sign for 22 years, and plan on going to the grave with it (yeah, I know, never say never!). The initial reason as to why I never changed my call is because at the time of my upgrades, I had a ton of QSL cards with it....I have been tempted to change my call sign on several occasions because it's a long Novice 2x3, and with the vanity call sign thing, that really intreagued me, but I figured everyone (locally that is) knows me by my call now, and I like my "made up" phonetics of "No Radio X-Pert"...That kind of stuck with me lo these many years.......Plus, again, like years ago, I still have a ton of QSL Cards with it!...What say you???

I've had 4 calls. The earlier ones I changed because it was required when you moved between call districts. The last one wasn't required but it was early enough that we still identified station locations by their call signs.

Just one. I personally am very glad the change requirement was dropped. I started in 8 land, moved to 9 land, then moved to 0 land, and finally back to 8 land. With these moves, I would have lost my 1x3 on the very first move since they were already used up and were no longer available for sequential issue at the times I moved. Since I was already an Extra, a sequential assignment would have given me a 2x2 beginning with A but I really didn't like those although it is no longer than a 1x3. The 1x2s and 2x1s were no longer available for sequential issue. The vanity call sign option did not happen to be available at the specific times I moved.

The situation is even worse for Generals & Techs. If they had to change, the sequential assignment route would would give them 2x3s and so many would loose their 1x3s. To get back to a 1x3, their only option is a vanity call.

K9RY is still alive and kicking so I'll keep my Novice call for now. It's the only other call I'd consider.

Those considerations being how easily it's sent on CW (KB9CRY though long has a nice sing/song to it and is easy to send) and how easily the phonetics are to pronounce on SSB (many times it's long length is a help, almost like tail-ending but not on purpose, all they hear is the Radio Yankee).

KN4ZQG from my Novice days in the early 60'sN3ZKP when I got back into amateur radio in 1997W3LK my current call sign

<< and I like my "made up" phonetics of "No Radio X-Pert"...>>

I urge you to drop the cutsy phonetics. They may be OK in person or on the local repeater, but if you use them in a DX pileup on HF, you will probably get ignored - the action is to fast for some foreign ham to try to decipher them.

International standard phonetics are used for a reason.

73,

Lon - W3LKBaltimore, Maryland

Logged

A smoking section in a restaurant makes as much sense as a peeing section in a swimming pool.

N0UVM = Technician, General, Advanced, Extra 1992-1995AA0ZS = I had checked the box on the Form 610 (that's what it was at the time) to change my callsign when I upgraded, but someone in Newington (cough, cough) failed to transfer ALL the data from the paper form to the electronic form. When notified of their mistake, they sent in a new form with the callsign change request and were kind enough not to charge me for it!N0IU = February 12, 1997 (Yes, I have already renewed) I was one of the first people to apply for a vanity call directly through the FCC website. This was in the days before CORES and the ULS system. I put in the application in November 1996 so this means it took almost 3 months for it to be granted. I think I received my original license faster than that! I selected this one because I received my undergraduate degree from Indiana University. I wanted K0IU because the school's club station is K9IU, but unfortunately K0IU is not available.

I urge you to drop the cutsy phonetics. They may be OK in person or on the local repeater, but if you use them in a DX pileup on HF, you will probably get ignored - the action is to fast for some foreign ham to try to decipher them.

Yes, Lon...I do realize this....only with the locals....Never have used the "No Radio X-pert" on HF unless I know the person(s).....I recall monitoring a pile up where some guy's call was like K7BW or something like that and he kept using "Kilo (whatever) Black White" while trying to call the DX station reapeatedly...Needless to say the DX station was like "huh?"...and just went on....Some people just dont get it.....

I haven't always been active but have managed to keep my call active over the more than 40 years since first licensed.

WN7DET May 1965WA7DET Within the year as a novice. Don't remember exact date.ZC4TS December 2003 to December 2004A61/WA7DET 4 months starting in 2005.A6/WA7DET First renewal for another 4 months. I can't explain why the government issued them that way but that's what was on my Permission to Operate.A61TS December 2006. Finally a local call.

I've been in all 50 states and lived for extended periods in 6 states (4 zones. I'm glad that I didn't have to change my call each time I moved. I plan on keeping my WA7DET until I become a SK. It's a nice call for CW which I'm planning on getting back into from here in A61 land.

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